Top-up container assembly comprising a dispensing cap, and a dishwashing product comprising the container assembly

ABSTRACT

A top-up container assembly including a bottle having a bottom surface, and a top surface having an opening located away from the bottom surface; and a dispensing cap attached to the top surface of the bottle is disclosed. The dispensing cap includes a housing and a valve. At least a portion of the housing is transparent and/or translucent, and the valve is visually distinctive from the housing to enable a user of the top-up container assembly to see the valve through the housing. A method of using a dispensing cap for dispensing a dishwashing cleaning composition is also disclosed, as is a dishwashing cleaning product, and a method of cleaning dishware.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a top-up container assembly comprisinga dispensing cap with a valve, and dishwashing cleaning productscomprising the top-up container assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Plastic bottles comprising a spout for dispensing a liquid or a viscouscomposition are well known in the art, especially in the field ofdishwashing cleaning products. These bottles are typically so-called“top-up” bottles. In order to dispense the composition, a user typicallyneeds to open a cap to expose the spout, then invert and squeeze thebottle to dispense the composition. One problem with spouts is that,because of the spout's opening, the product flows out upon inversion ofthe bottle, even when the bottle is not squeezed. Another problem isthat it is difficult to control the amount of product to be dispensedfrom the bottle. Another problem is mess. Bottles with spouts tend toleave product around the rim of the spout. As a result, the bottle doesnot only looks messy, but the product also dries and forms a crust. Ifthe crust is allowed to build up, then it eventually blocks the spout.All these problems lead to consumer dissatisfaction.

The use of valves (e.g. slit valves) for improved/controlled dispensingof a liquid or a viscous composition is also well known. Such valves aretypically used in so-called “top-down” containers or tubes, which hold aliquid or viscous composition. Top-down containers or tubes are productswhich rest on their dispensing cap, when they are stored on a horizontalsurface. One example is Ketchup™ products. Recently, and only foraesthetic reasons, colored, transparent or translucent dispensing capscomprising a valve have been developed. One company producing suchdispensing caps is Seaquist Closures.

In the area of dishwashing, the use of valves for dispensing thecomposition is also known. For example, the product marketed under thename of Sqezy from Buck chemicals, is a “top-down” container comprisinga colored translucent cap with a slit valve (the valve not being visiblethrough the cap). However, when in a certain type of “top-up” bottlewhich is typically marketed with a spout (such as most dishwashingproducts), the spout is replaced by a valve, a user may not readilynotice the difference. A user may even believe the bottle is defective,as with valves, there is no visible opening. Also, squeeze-bottlesequipped with a valve require a higher squeeze pressure for dispensingthe composition, versus squeeze-bottles equipped with a spout. It istherefore important for a user to readily notice which type of productis being bought, or used (with spout or valve). The present inventionovercomes these problems.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide containers with adispensing cap comprising a valve, which are easily distinguishable fromcontainers with a dispensing cap comprising a spout.

It is another object of the present invention, to provide containerswith a dispensing cap wherein the valve is always visible, even when thedispensing cap is in a closed state.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a top-upcontainer assembly (1) comprising a container (20) having a bottomsurface (22), and a top surface (21) located away from said bottomsurface (22), said top surface (21) having an opening (23); and adispensing cap (30) attached to said top surface (21) of said bottle(20), said dispensing cap (30) comprising a housing (31) and a valve(32), wherein at least a portion of said housing (31) is transparentand/or translucent, and wherein said valve (32) is visually distinctivefrom said housing (31), to enable a user of said top-up containerassembly (1) to see the valve (32) through the housing (31).

According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to the useof a dispensing cap (30) for dispensing a dishwashing cleaningcomposition.

According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to adishwashing cleaning product.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a methodof cleaning dishware.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a top-up container assembly according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a dispensing cap according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a another dispensing cap according to thepresent invention

FIG. 4 shows a top view of a dispensing cap according to the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

1. Top-Up Container Assembly

In a first embodiment, the present invention relates to a top-upcontainer assembly (1) comprising a container (20) and a dispensing cap(30). With “top-up”, it is meant that the container assembly has a topand a bottom surface, at least a portion of said bottom surface being incontact with a horizontal flat surface when said container assembly isput on that horizontal flat surface. The top surface of the containerassembly is located away from said bottom surface, and does not contactthe horizontal flat surface, when the container assembly is put on thathorizontal surface.

The container (20) of the present invention may be a bottle or astand-up pouch where the container is a bottle it is preferably asqueeze-bottle having flexible walls. The container has a bottom surface(22) and a top surface (21) located away from said bottom surface (22),and an opening (23) in said top surface (21). At least a portion of saidbottom surface (22) is in contact with a horizontal flat surface whensaid container (20) is put on that horizontal flat surface. Thecontainer (20) useful herein has a hollow body for holding a liquid orgel composition, and is typically formed of plastic, preferably apolymer or resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, ethyl vinyl alcohol,polyvinyl alcohol, thermoplastic elastomer, and combinations thereof,although other materials known in the art may also be used. Suchcontainers (20) will typically hold from 100 mL to 2 L of liquid,preferably from 150 mL to 1.2 L of liquid, and more preferably from 200mL to 1 L of liquid, and are well known for holding liquid consumerproducts. Such containers are widely available from many packagingsuppliers.

By stand-up pouch it is meant that the container may be flexiblydeformed, but that it is not resilient in the sense that it recovers itsoriginal shape when the deforming pressure is removed. Preferably suchcontainers are formed from plastic film or films which are sealedtogether at the edge in order to form a closed container. The containeris provided with an opening which is sealed around the closure. Mostpreferably the plastic film is made from polyethylene, polypropylene,polyester or laminate thereof and has a thickness of from 50 to 250micrometers.

A dispensing cap (30) is attached to the top surface (21) of the bottle(20). The dispensing cap (30) may be formed as either integral with, orseparate from the bottle (20). If formed separately, the dispensing cap(30) may attach to the bottle (20) via methods known in the art such asby employing a transition piece, corresponding threaded male and femalemembers, pressurized and non-pressurized seals, locking and snap-onparts, and/or other methods known in the art. Preferably, the dispensingcap (30) is attached to the bottle (20) via a transition piece and/orwith corresponding threaded male and female members which allow easyrefilling. The dispensing cap (30) comprises a housing (31), and a valve(32).

The housing (31) preferably comprises a body (33), and a closing lid(34) which is hinged along an axis (A) to said body (33). The body (33)comprises an opening into which the valve (32) can be fitted in aleak-tight manner. Preferably, the body (33) further comprises a ring(36) which fits into the body's (33) opening, wherein the valve (32) canbe fitted in a leak-tight manner. The dispensing cap (30) may furthercomprise a collar (35) which surrounds the bottom (22) portion of thehousing (31) or the body (33). The housing (31), body (33), closing lid(34), ring (36) and collar (35) are typically formed of plastic,preferably a polymer or resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene,polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, ethyl vinylalcohol, polyvinyl alcohol, thermoplastic elastomer, and combinationsthereof, although other materials known in the art may also be used.Most preferably, they are formed of polypropylene.

The preferred valve (32) is a slit valve (32) having a pair of slits(37) intersecting at the center of the valve (32). Although one pair ofslits (37) is preferred, more slits (37) may be present. The valve (32)is preferably formed of silicone or a thermoplastic elastomer. When thebottle (20) is squeezed, the valve (32) opens when the pressuredifferential across the valve (32) exceeds a predetermined amount (e.g.when the container assembly's (1) interior pressure increases to apredetermined amount relative to standard atmospheric pressure outsidethe container assembly (1)). The valve (32) may be formed as a unitarypart of the dispensing cap (30), or may be mounted in a separateassembly (e.g. a ring (36) as described hereinabove) that is permanentlyor releasably attached to the dispensing cap (30). Suitable valves forthe dispensing cap (30) of the present invention, are readily availableon the market, e.g. from Seaquist Closures.

An essential aspect of the present invention is that at least a portionof the housing (31) is transparent and/or translucent, and that thevalve (32) is visually distinctive from the housing (31). With this, itis meant that the valve (32) can be seen through at least a portion ofthe housing (31), either from the side, from the top, or both. Thisincludes that the valve (32) may be seen either only through a portionof the closing lid (34) (from the side, from the top, or both), or onlythrough the side of at least a portion of the dispensing cap's (1) body(33), or both. This also includes that the valve (32) may be seenthrough the entire housing (31) from the side and from the top. Thisalso includes that the valve (32) is clearly visible through the housing(31), or that a user can see a haze of different shades and/or colors(valve versus housing), whereby the user is able to distinguish thevalve (32) from the housing (31). This also enables a user to easilydistinguish dispensing caps having a valve (32) from dispensing capshaving a spout. Preferably at least 5%, more preferably at least 10%,even more preferably at least 20%, and up to 100% of the housing (31)material is transparent and/or translucent. When the housing (31)comprises a body (33) and a closing lid (34), preferably at least 5%,more preferably at least 10%, even more preferably at least 20%, and upto 100% of the body (33) and/or closing lid (34) material is transparentand/or translucent. If a ring (36), as described above, is used in thehousing (31), it is preferred that the ring (36) is entirely transparentand/or translucent. The valve (32) is preferably not transparent nortranslucent.

In order to improve the visual distinctiveness, it is preferred that thevalve (32) is of a different color, more preferably of a contrastingcolor than the housing (31), body (33) or closing lid (34). Preferably,the valve (32) is colored while the housing (31), body (33) or closinglid (34), are not colored.

When the dispensing cap (30) comprises a collar (35), it is preferredthat the collar (35) is visually distinctive from the housing (31).Preferably the collar (35) is not transparent, nor translucent, and of adifferent color, preferably of a contrasting color than the housing(31), body (33) or closing lid (34). Most preferably, the collar (35) isin the same color as the valve (32).

With transparent or translucent, it is meant that the material has alight transmission of at least 35% in the visible spectrum (from 400nanometers in the violet to 700 nanometers in the red end of the visiblespectrum). The light transmission of a material can be measured usingcommercially available hazemeters or spectrophotometers. One test methodfor measuring the light transmission of a material, is described inStandard Test Method D-1003 (ASTM D-1003) from the American Society forTesting and Materials. In this test method, a unidirectionalperpendicular light beam is directed onto the material, and a photodetector measures the total light transmitted by the specimen after itenters an integrating sphere.

2. Dishwashing Cleaning Product

In a second embodiment, the present invention relates to the use of thedispensing cap (30) described hereinabove, for dispensing a dishwashingcleaning composition. In a third embodiment, the present inventionrelates to a dishwashing cleaning product comprising the containerassembly (1) described hereinabove, and a dishwashing cleaningcomposition contained in the top-up container assembly (1).

The dishwashing cleaning composition can be in the form of a liquid or agel, and typically includes also a solvent, and preferably one or moreoptional ingredients known in the art of dishwashing, such as enzymes,viscosity modifiers, diamines, carboxylic acids, polymeric sudsstabilizers, builders, magnesium ions, chelating agents, hydrophobicblock polymers, or organic and inorganic salts. The dishwashing cleaningcomposition will further preferably comprise one or more detersiveadjuncts selected from the following: soil release polymers, polymericdispersants, polysaccharides, abrasives, bactericides and otherantimicrobials, tarnish inhibitors, dyes or pigments, buffers,antifungal or mildew control agents, insect repellents, perfumes,hydrotropes, thickeners, processing aids, suds boosters, brighteners,anti-corrosive aids, stabilizers, antioxidants, a pH controlling agent,a reducing or oxidizing bleach, an odor control agent, antioxidants andfree radical inhibitors, and a mixture thereof.

The dishwashing cleaning product will further preferably compriseinstructions for using the dishwashing cleaning product.

3. Method of Cleaning Dishware

In a fourth embodiment, the present invention also relates to a methodof cleaning dishware, using the dishwashing cleaning product describedhereinabove. The method comprises at least the steps of inverting thedishwashing cleaning product, and then squeezing the bottle (20) suchthat the valve (32) opens and the dishwashing cleaning composition isdispensed from the top-up container assembly (1).

The composition may be applied to the dishware neat or in dilute form.Thus the dishware may be cleaned singly by applying the composition tothe dishware and optionally but preferably subsequently rinsing beforedrying. Alternatively, the composition can be mixed with water in asuitable vessel, for example a basin, sink or bowl and thus a number ofdishes can be cleaned using the same composition and water (dishwater).In a further alternative process the product can be used in dilute formin a suitable vessel as a soaking medium for, typically extremely dirty,dishware. As before the dishware can be optionally, although preferably,rinsed before allowing to dry. Drying may take place passively byallowing for the natural evaporation of water or actively using anysuitable drying equipment, for example a cloth or towel.

All documents cited in the detailed description of the invention are, inrelevant part, incorporated herein by reference. A citation of anydocument is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior artwith respect to the present invention.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is thereforeintended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

1. A top-up container assembly comprising: a container having a bottomsurface, and a top surface located away from said bottom surface, saidtop surface having an opening; and a dispensing cap attached to said topsurface of said container, said dispensing cap comprising a housing anda valve, wherein at least a portion of said housing is transparentand/or translucent, and said valve is visually distinctive from saidhousing, to enable a user of said top-up container assembly to see thevalve through the housing.
 2. A top-up container assembly according toclaim 1, wherein the container is selected from a bottle or a stand-uppouch.
 3. The top-up container assembly according to claim 1, whereinsaid housing comprises a body, and a closing lid, said closing lid beinghinged along an axis to said body, wherein: at least a portion of saidclosing lid is transparent and/or translucent, to enable a user of saidtop-up container assembly to see the valve through said closing lid whensaid closing lid is closing said dispensing cap; and/or at least aportion of said body is transparent and/or translucent, to enable a userof said top-up container assembly to see the valve through said body. 4.The top-up container assembly according to claim 1, wherein 5% to 100%of the dispensing cap material is transparent and/or translucent.
 5. Thetop-up container assembly according to claim 3, wherein 5% to 100% ofthe closing lid material is transparent and/or translucent; and/or 5% to100% of the body material is transparent and/or translucent.
 6. Thetop-up container assembly according to claim 1, wherein said valve is aslit valve.
 7. The top-up container assembly according to claim 1,wherein said valve and said housing are of a different color.
 8. Thetop-up container assembly according to claim 3, wherein said valve andsaid closing lid are of a different color.
 9. The top-up containerassembly according to claim 3, wherein said valve and said body are of adifferent color.
 10. The top-up container assembly according to claim 1,wherein said dispensing cap further comprises a transparent and/ortranslucent ring wherein the valve is positioned.
 11. The top-upcontainer assembly according to claim 3, wherein the dispensing capfurther comprises a collar around said body, said collar being visuallydistinctive from said housing.
 12. The top-up container assemblyaccording to claim 11, wherein the collar and the valve are of the samecolor.
 13. A dishwashing cleaning product comprising: a top-up containerassembly according to claim 1, and a dishwashing cleaning compositioncontained in said top-up container assembly.
 14. A dishwashing cleaningproduct according to claim 13, wherein said product further comprisesinstructions for use.
 15. A method of cleaning dishware with thedishwashing cleaning product of claim 13, said method comprising thesteps of: inverting the dishwashing cleaning product; and squeezing thebottle to open the valve, and to dispense the dishwashing cleaningcomposition from the top-up container assembly.
 16. A method using adispensing cap comprising a housing and a valve, at least a portion ofsaid housing being transparent and/or translucent, and the valve beingvisually distinctive from said housing, to enable a user of saiddispensing cap to see the valve through the housing, for dispensing adishwashing cleaning composition.
 17. The method according to claim 16,wherein said housing comprises a body, and a closing lid, said closinglid being hinged along an axis to said body, wherein at least a portionof said closing lid is transparent and/or translucent, to enable a userof said top-up container assembly to see the valve through said closinglid when said closing lid is closing the dispensing cap; and/or at leasta portion of said body is transparent and/or translucent, to enable auser of said top-up container assembly to see the valve through saidbody.
 18. The method according to claim 16, wherein 5% to 100% of thehousing material is transparent and/or translucent.
 19. The methodaccording to claim 17, wherein 5% to 100% of the closing lid material istransparent and/or translucent; and/or 5% to 100% of the body materialis transparent and/or translucent.
 20. The method according to claim 16,wherein said valve is a slit valve.
 21. The method according to claim16, wherein said valve and said housing are of a different color. 22.The method according to claim 17, wherein said valve and said closinglid are of a different color.
 23. The method according to claim 17,wherein said valve and said body are of a different color.
 24. Themethod according to claim 16, wherein said dispensing cap furthercomprises a transparent and/or translucent ring wherein the valve ispositioned.
 25. The method according to claim 16, wherein the dispensingcap further comprises a collar around the body, said collar beingvisually distinctive from said housing.
 26. The method according toclaim 25, wherein the collar and the valve are of the same color.